Class of 2008
by Atamel88
Summary: Basically the gang is graduating and Gabriella is valedictorian. Short oneshot. First fic for HSM, dedicated to NPS.


**Okay guys, this is my first ever fanfic for HSM.**** Usually I just post comments, but when I finally checked the page of the NPS website (nice people society) about Secret Santa ****fic**** exchanges it was too late, so I started writing this. I wrote it within 2 hours (including a break for lunch…) so it's pretty bad and very short but oh well. I dedicate this story to NPS and the Band-aid Buddies lol.**

**Sorry if the stuff isn't ****right,**** I go to a private school in Australia so it's pretty different. We don't even have a valedictorian lol.**

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Class of 2008

".. And now we will have our valedictorian presenting their speech. This year's valedictorian has certainly deserved it; she is an excellent role-model that works hard for what she achieves, and achieve is exactly what she has done in her time here at East High. Please welcome Gabriella Montez," said Mr. Matsui, with a hint of pride in his voice.

Gabriella smiled shyly as she walked up to the podium, hearing the sound of polite clapping all around her. Was she ready for this? Sure, she had come a long way from the quiet, sensitive girl she had been when she came here, but this was a major change for her.

She stepped up onto the small stage behind the podium. Looking out in front of her, she instinctively glanced towards the gang. They were all throwing her encouraging looks, or mouthing 'You'll do fine'. She smiled briefly when she saw that all three girls were crying. Kelsi, who had finally come out of her shell, Sharpay, who had changed so much that Gabriella truly believed is was she who deserved to do the speech, and Taylor who was so extremely helpful at everything, no matter how big or small. These people certainly deserved to have a wonderful graduation, and Gabriella knew she didn't want to be the one that stopped that.

Her eyes met with Troy's, and she felt her heart skip a beat for a second. He, who had been her boyfriend for a year now, would be there, she knew. Even if she made a complete mess of it and embarrassed herself in front of everyone, he would always be there beside her. With that knowledge, she started her speech with confidence.

"Seniors of 2008. Finally, we are here. And I truly believe that all of us, in our own unique way, have earned the right to be here. Throughout the past year, all of us have shown an immense amount of leadership and have done so without any protest. We have had to work hard to get to our goals, but just think about what an achievement it is that we got there in the end. Not an achievement in that you can go around bragging, but one in that you feel good about yourself. When life seems like an uphill struggle, think about the view from the top. Now we are at the top and, looking down, we have a grand view of what we have done. And what we have done is a beautiful sight indeed.

Some of you may ask yourselves, 'What have I honestly done this year that shows good leadership?' I asked my 7 year old niece what she thought shows good leadership, and she replied with 'Leadership is taking bad people and helping them get good'. Well, I can't really consider any of us as bad, despite Chad insisting that there is an evil hamster in the form of a human among us, but I do know that when anybody has had a problem or had to face a crisis, we have all been there by their side, helping them to overcome their problem or crisis and perhaps become a better person. I also asked our fellow graduating student Jason Cross what he thought about what our grade has done. "Our grade is good," he replied, whilst eating his French fries dipped in soya-sauce. "We work together, and we don't really care of it's not always us that is in the spotlight".

Every grade leaves behind a unique piece of themselves, like a puzzle that all fits together perfectly. I'm not sure what our piece will look like, but I know that it will be the first of many that will be different to all the pieces before. Because we have changed this school. We have broken all of the boundaries of groups so that we can all be on big group, working together.

And we have worked together, supporting our friends, or even lending a hand to those you mightn't even know. We don't work just so we can get recognized; we work because it makes up proud of ourselves, even if others aren't. We are proud of our friends as well. What does it matter that you mightn't have won, as long as the person who did win deserved it.

So, standing on top of our mountain of goals this year, we will all remember the wonderful feeling. It is like we have a picture of the view and all of the emotions in it. That picture will always be our motivation. Although we might not still be at our beloved East High, we will remember it. And when we have started climbing the hill that comes after this one, that one that is on top of it, we will always have the memory of this exhilarating feeling of triumph as we finish the climb. And with that, we will be able to reach the top, and just think of what it would be like to look down at all of our completed goals from up there."

Gabriella grinned as she finished, and hurried back to her seat with the gang, hearing the loud clapping and seeing everybody smiling at her. When she had reached he seat Troy stood up and gave her a quick hug and whispered "Good job" to her. She smiled at him before they both sat down.

Mr. Matsui now stood at the podium, struggling to speak through his tears. "Thank you for that heartfelt report, Miss Montez. Your contribution to this school will be greatly missed. That was our last speech for today, now I present to you all, the graduating class of 2008!!!" And with that the 100 or so students graduating threw up their hats **(A/N …you**** know the things I'm talking about…)**and cheered. Gabriella joined in a massive group hug with the gang. They had done it. They had completed high school and were on to bigger and better things. However, she knew that none of them would ever forget their years spent at East High.

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**Done! It's only 2 pages in Word lol. Hoped u liked it! I have to admit to stealing some Gabriella's speech from a speech my friend did at a graduation this year and some of it from a speech from last year but only like a sentence.**

**Ooohhhh**** and I also dedicate that to my brother who just graduated last month and today got an OP1, which mean Overall Position (basically… ****hes**** really smart and did really good in an important test). Review Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


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